Episcopal Press and News
Convention Notebook: Alaska bishop search, Christian formation charter, bishops' CD, bishop consents
Episcopal News Service. July 11, 2009 [071109-01]
Mary Frances Schjonberg, Sharon J. Tillman and Jerald Hyche
Much happens each day at the 76th meeting of the General Convention. In addition to Episcopal Life Media's other coverage, here's some of what else happened on July 10.
Alaska deputies give bishop search process the shirts off their backs
The Diocese of Alaska's deputation, looking to get word out to the Episcopal Church about the diocese's bishop search, has embarked on a unique advertising campaign.
The deputies had sets of brightly colored T-shirts made with four different slogans and committed to wearing them during the July 8-17 meeting in Anaheim.
The slogans on the front of each T-shirt include "The Call of the Wild," 1-800-B-AKBishop, "Got Bishop?" and, of course, "The Frozen Chosen."
"We know its cold in Alaska, so there's no sense trying to ignore it," said Deputy Clarence Bolden, who is also a member of the search committee. The temperature in Fairbanks on July 9 was 93 degrees, Bolden said, warning that the thermometer can drop to 60 degrees below zero.
The diocese consists of 50 congregations spread over 680,000 square miles, according to Bolden, who said it is a microcosm of the Episcopal Church.
"You've got to be hardy" to be bishop of Alaska, Bolden acknowledged.
The backs of the shirts say "Alaska is Calling. Ask Me More!"
The diocese has been searching for a bishop since June 2007 when Mark L. MacDonald, who was the seventh Episcopal bishop of Alaska, to become the Anglican Church of Canada's first National Indigenous Bishop. The election is now set for April 9-10, 2010.
Deputies send Christian formation charter to House of Bishops
The House of Deputies passed the Charter for Lifelong Christian Formation (LCF) (as detailed in Resolution A082) on July 10.
The resolution now goes the House of Bishops.
The charter "is a philosophy, not a program," said Janie Stevens of the Diocese of Texas, missioner for Christian formation and Proclaiming Education for All (PEALL) member, representing the National Association for Episcopal Christian Education Directors (NAECED) during testimony July 8.
The education charter, put forth by the Standing Commission for Lifelong Christian Education and Formation, provides a structure for dioceses and parishes to develop LCF programs. It does not specify or recommend a curriculum.
The proposed budget for the resolution is $30,000, which would be used in part to create and post resource materials to the Internet, creating an online resource center.
"It is important to have the charter, but we also need to provide tools to the people," said Deputy Sharon Pearson (Connecticut), member of NAECED and Christian formation specialist for Church Publishing.
In conjunction with A082, Resolution A083 would direct dioceses "not only to share their wisdom and aspirations, but also mandates that every diocese must have a purposeful plan for Christian Formation that is appropriate to their context," according to the explanation.
"We hope this resolution brings forth conversation about Lifelong Christian Formation and gets dioceses defining the core value and working toward programs," said Alternate Deputy Keane Akao (Hawai'i), vice chair of the standing commission, during the July 8 committee hearing.
Bishop John Rabb, House of Bishops co-chair of education, called the charter "a watershed moment" for the Episcopal Church. It "gives us both a foundation and a vision for Christian education and formation that will equip us for mission, deepen our understanding of our faith, be a great resource for evangelism as it states what we are called to do and be as a church," he said.
Bishops Choir releases 'Trouble at the River' recording
The Bishops Choir released its second fund-raising CD "Trouble at the River, Finding Hope After Katrina" on July 10.
All proceeds from the sale of the CD will go to the Jericho Road Episcopal Housing Initiative, which is building energy efficient affordable housing in New Orleans.
The CD is for sale for $15 at Episcopal Books and Resources, booth 301, and the Union of Black Episcopalians, booth 643, in the Exhibit Hall.
The recording is dedicated to the memory of Northern Michigan Bishop Jim Kelsey who died in June 3, 2007 in a car accident as he was returning from a parish visit. Kelsey was a long-time member of the choir the entire time he was a bishop.
The choir cut its first compact disc, "With One Accord," as a fund-raiser for Episcopal Relief and Development (ERD). It is available from Episcopal Books and Resources here.
Lost in Translation: Bishops discuss how to commemorate saints inclusively
The House of Bishops considered at length July 10 where the proposed revisions to Lesser Feasts and Fasts ought to be translated into other languages.
The discussion ended where it began, with approval of Resolution A097 to authorize trial use of "Holy Women, Holy Men: Celebrating the Saints," a revision of the church's calendar now known as "Lesser Feasts and Fasts."
But the sometimes colorful comments bishops offered during the discussion reflected one of the challenges facing the post-modern church in the midst of a multi-cultural society -- which language to use?
First, the bishops approved a related resolution, A096, which proposes revised and additional commemorations in the Calendar of the Church Year as set forth in "Holy Women, Holy Men." Then, immediately after Resolution A097 was brought up for consideration, Bishop James Jelinek of Minnesota proposed an amendment to replace the book's Rite 1 collects featuring Elizabethan English with a Spanish translation of those collects.
"Rite 1 is a language of the past. It's very good for evangelism of retired English teachers, but that's about it," Jelinek said. "Spanish is a language for this church in the future and in the present. And if you want to get practical it saves us money to do it in one book."
Western Kansas Bishop James Adams said he agreed with the idea of having a Spanish translation, "but there still are a lot of people out there who still speak Elizabethan English in their worship, and this cuts them out, and I don't want to do that."
Assistant Bishop William Gregg of North Carolina then offered an amendment to the amendment that would add French collects as well. That idea was voted down after Bishop Pierre Whalon of Europe reminded the house that all church documents already are required to be translated into French as well as Spanish.
Discussion briefly returned to the idea of substituting Rite 1 with Spanish before Bishop Suffragan Bavi "Edna" Rivera of Olympia proposed another amendment that would have collects appear in Rite 1, Rite 2 and Spanish. "We would appreciate all three," she said.
Bishop Edwin Gulick of Kentucky, however, argued that only one English collect is needed: "The rubrics of the Book of Common Prayer are very generous in allowing us to stylize collects appropriate to the rite we're celebrating. Clergy of the Episcopal Church have the intelligence to change 'you' to 'thee' if necessary."
The proposal to publish collects in Rites 1 and 2 as well as Spanish failed.
Attention again returned to the original proposal to substitute Rite 1 with Spanish, and the church's historical language, however misunderstood by some, held firm in the hearts of those who voted.
"I'm not a retired English teacher," said Bishop Suffragan David Reed of West Texas, "but I do have a great love for the language of Rite 1, and find that it is still a way to attract people into the Episcopal Church and I would hate to sacrifice it."
Southeast Florida Bishop Leo Frade, who is Cuban, agreed: "I've always defended the right of people to speak Spanish in this country, and I believe in it, but I also would like to defend the right of people to speak Elizabethan English in this country… It's never good to substitute Spanish for English."
The bishops voted down the idea of replacing Rite 1 collects with Spanish translations, then quickly approved the original resolution, which goes to the House of Deputies for approval.
Bishops-elect Tarrant, Provenzano get General Convention consents
The House of Bishops consented to the election of John Tarrant as bishop coadjutor of South Dakota and Lawrence Provenzano as bishop coadjutor of Long Island.
Provenzano, 54, was elected March 21 and is scheduled to be consecrated September 19. He will succeed Bishop Orris Walker Jr. who began a leave of absence June 1. Walker will resign November 14. Walker appointed retired Bishop David Joslin as assisting bishop and has delegated to him all administrative and pastoral duties during the interim period.
Tarrant, 57, was elected May 3. He will succeed Bishop Creighton Robertson. Tarrant's consecration is set for October 31.
Because both men were elected within 120 days of the convention, the required consents to the ordinations were required to be sought from the General Convention. All bishop elections that occur outside of that timeframe must be consented to by a majority of diocesan standing committees and bishops with jurisdiction.
The House of Deputies had earlier consented to their consecration so Provenzano and Tarrant were both seated in the House of Bishops after they received that house's approval. They have voice but no vote during this meeting of the house.